Lost Virtual Season Three

Important Editor's Note: The continuation of LVS3 continues
the drama directly after the reappearance of Michael from The Others camp. In
that regard, LVS3 deviates completely from the Season Finale of LS2.

Writers: Scouse, midnight riot, and so-jealous.

Full Credits and Disclaimers: Will appear at the end of this post

Rating for Episode Five: PG-13

Special Thanks to: Leigh and mru-forum.com for hosting and supporting. Props and congrats to Leigh for michelle-rodriguez.com becoming the The Official Site for Michelle Rodriguez.

Feedback: Would love it. Please Read and Feed.

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EPISODE FIVE: DESTITUTE ILLUSION







ACT I

SCENE ONE: THE BEACH

She sees her running the length of the beach from where she’s sitting in the shade of the trees.

She watches her exerting herself, pushing herself beyond limits unknown by her spectator…if she even has limits, but she suspects that she does.

She sees how Ana-Lucia turns her back on the little beach community, who are still sleeping for the most part, and runs away from them into her own solitary world, the way she, herself, Kate has done so many times throughout her life, both off the island and on it.

However, unlike she, herself, Kate, Ana-Lucia does not fear to turn and run straight back towards everything. Facing things, reality, the way Kate wishes that she could. The way Kate knows that she can’t.

Running may be a way for Ana-Lucia to pass time. To keep herself healthy and fit and to take her mind off thins for a little while at least but running is a way of life for Kate. Running is in Kate’s blood.

Ana pauses at the tree line by the water trough, stretching out limbs and muscles and regaining her breath and Kate, pulling herself out of her contemplations, makes herself move. Standing from her seat in the warm sand, painting a smile onto her lips she approaches.

Maybe this time she doesn’t have to run…with Ana’s help.

“Hey, Ana.”

Ana glances back over her shoulder at the other woman moving her way. Brown eyes hold onto green for a second or two before she’s stretching out her muscles again and rolling her head on her shoulders.

“Kate,” she responds lightly and the brunette steps around to stand before her, arms folded loosely about her middle.

“It’s going to be another scorcher today, huh?” Kate notes, sending her gaze out onto the beach where the sun is already devouring the cool mist that had rolled in off the sea the night before.

“Yeah,” Ana agrees. “What I wouldn’t give for a little rain right about now.” She cracks a small smile and they fall silent once more.

Ana knows that Kate is there for a reason and as she opens her mouth, making another attempt at polite small-talk, Ana turns to face her abruptly, lowering her voice and tone.

“How about we cut straight to the power cable here.” She suggests and Kate’s mouth snaps closed again, strangling anything that she had been about to say. She nods instead, though her gaze remains directed out to the beach somewhat awkwardly.

A beat of nothing but waves lapping against the shore and Walt’s hushed calls for his dog follows as Ana waits for the other woman to explain and eventually she does.

“Things have been crazy around here for a long time now,” she ventures, arms tightening about herself a little more, almost in defence. “Since Sawyer took the guns…If we got them back, everything would go back to normal.” She considers her words before shaking her head at herself. “No, not normal, but at least we’d be safe. Protected. I know you think we should build an army…but what goods an army without weapons?”

Ana hears Kate’s words and knows that she’s trying her hardest to win her over. She has some ulterior motive. Not once did she speak out in favour of action against the Others before now. She’s trying to manipulate her.

Ana takes a long moment to draw in her breath, collecting her thoughts as she watches the concern flashing through those green irises suddenly riveted upon her.

“Is this about the guns, Kate?” she queries finally, raising her chin. “Or is this about Sawyer?”

And Kate is shocked at how well she’s been read by her companion even if she doesn’t know the answer to the question herself.

Is it really about the guns…?

[Cue LOST music and logo]

SCENE TWO: FLASHBACK TO “ANNIE'S DINER”, IOWA.

Her back ached, pain flaring up the curve of her spine in protest as she bent down to slap the already grimy wash-cloth onto the just vacated table. Kate paused to press a hand to her lower back before taking a deep breath and continuing with her menial task.

She’s sure not pictured the life of a waitress for herself when she’d been back in high school. She’d always told Tom that she’d be doing something exciting, like her dad.

She had actually contemplated following in his footsteps, taking up a career in the army herself as soon as she had left school…but she’d never been too hot with taking orders from people. She’d always been too stubborn and opinionated for that. Besides, Wayne had put his foot down. Told her and her mother that she wasn’t living under his roof unless she was bringing some money into the house to pay her way…and like a sheep, her mom had obeyed.

The diner where her mom worked had taken her on the very same day and she’d been there ever since. Four years. Lost in the monotony of a job she hated. A prisoner in a job that she couldn’t afford to quit.

Suddenly a sharp elbow dug into her back, drawing her out of her bitter thoughts and a half swallowed hiss from her lips as she shot a glance back over her shoulder meeting the beaming face of her co-worker, Kirsten, and possibly her only friend in the whole dreary establishment.

“You’re boyfriend’s here again, Katie…” she sing-songed under her breath, grin getting wider, as she scooted past, arms over loaded with empty dishes and plates.

And Kate snorted, shaking her head, even though it didn’t stop her from glancing over to the table at the window that he always sat at. Everyday it was the same and apparently that day was no different.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Kate hissed at her co-worker and turned back to her table, arranging the salt and vinegar shakers and ketchup bottle in the centre of it neatly.

“Get your ass over there!” Kirsten growled, ignoring Kate’s previous protest as she returned from the kitchen with fresh plates of food in her arms in place of the empty, used ones of a moment ago. “Studs like that don’t come along everyday, y’know. Not around here anyways…and especially not ones that have the hots for you!”

Kate rolled her eyes, moving on to the next table that required cleaning, ignoring Kirsten until the other woman returned once more and snatched the dish-cloth from her hands, hitching her thumb over her shoulder to the man in question.

“Kate!” she almost groaned, capturing the young woman’s hand in hers and squeezing it as if doing so would persuade her to listen to reason. “He’s asked you out every night this week! You’re the only waitress in here that he tips so generously and he’s interested in you!” Kirsten shook her head, dropping Kate’s hand from her grip and sighing. “Snap him up, Honey. The good guys go fast around here. You’re a fool if you don’t…he could be your ticket outta here.” She moved back and away, heading towards the kitchen where the chef was bawling that the next order was ready for table 6. “You don’t wanna end up like your mom and me…” Kirsten murmured back over her shoulder.

Those words spurred Kate on suddenly. She didn't want to end up like her mom. She didn't want the same life that her mother had with a no-good guy like Wayne to come home to after a hard days work who knocked her around and came home stinking of drink and cheap perfume every night.

Taking a deep breath she turned to glance over at the man at the table by the window, where he sat every day, and made her way over.

He was a looker. Kirsten hadn't been wrong about that and his smile widened when he saw Kate heading over.

"Afternoon, Miss." he grinned up at her from his chair. "I think you know my order by now, huh?"

"Sure do." Kate responded swiftly, a smile tainting her own features as she pulled her order book out of her apron front, tugged the pencil from behind her ear. "Coffee and a burger, hold the tomatoes, extra cheese, right?"

"Right."

Kirsten was right...wasn't she? If she saw any chance to get out of the deadend she had found herself backed down, she should take it. Right?

Kate busied herself scribbling down the order before snapping it closed and asking the statutory "Is there anything else you'd like?"

"I'd like for you to come out with me for a drink after you finish work tonight," his reply the same as it had been for the entire last week. And the week before that. And the week before that. "But I think I know what your answers gonna be almost as well as you know my order." his blue eyes were smiling, dancing up at her and Kate cocked her head to one side, smirk lancing sideways across her lips as she rested her weight onto on leg.

"Why don't you ask me again and see?"

**********

It wasn't a cold night out by any means, but that hadn't stopped Josh from offering her his jacket and it hadn't stopped Kate from accepting it with a beaming smile.

He made her feel special. Needed. Wanted. Dare she say it, loved.

The movies. A dinner for two that wasn't a slapped together burger and fries. Followed by a night out on the town.

The alcohol made her mind fuzzy and her body warm and she couldn't help but marvel at how well she fit beneath Josh's arm as he wrapped it around her shoulders.

It was just too bad that the night had to end...that reality had to kick back in and in the morning she'd be back in the diner slogging her guts out and slaving away for the minimum wage.

"I had such a great time tonight," Kate murmured as they continued their stroll through the almost deserted park.
"See? And it's taken you how long to gimme a chance?" Josh teased with a chuckle thrusting his free hand into his jeans pocket. "What made you change your mind?"

Kate paused for a long moment considering his words before curling her arm about his waist.

"Because I want something more in my life than work. I want to have fun. Live a little. Be spontaneous!" she grinned, stopping mid-stride and tugging Josh to face her. She leaned up, wrapping her arms about his neck, toying with the strands of sandy-brown hair that curled there at the nape and placing a smiling kiss upon his lips until he too couldn't help but grin.

"Spontaneous, huh?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow and drawing her closer again and Kate nodded again in confirmation. "And you like spontaneous?"

Again she nodded, although confusion at his curious questions tainted her green eyes.

Josh captured her lips with his briefly in a hard kiss before pulling away from her entirely.

"Marry me." he stated and Kate's eyes widened in shock as she stuttered for words to respond with. Her mouth opened and closed in a silent gasp as he chuckled at her once more, amber eyes smiling. "That spontaneous enough for ya?"

SCENE THREE: THE CAVES

Jack, Sayid, and Michael are at the caves, inspecting them, with Cindy and Walt sitting outside nearby, talking quietly.

Jack tells Michael that he and Sayid had been thinking of making some kind of wall or barricade at the entrance of the caves. “We can fill it with supplies, food and some spare medical supplies. In case of emergency, you know? Sort of like a fallout shelter, except one that doesn’t protect us from a nuclear disaster,” says Jack.

Michael looks at him. “What about the hatch? Isn’t that a little safer?”

“Safer, yes,” says Sayid. “But in extreme circumstances, not everybody in the camp is going to be able to make it to the hatch. This can be an alternative.”

“What ‘extreme circumstances’ are you preparing for?” Michael wants to know.

Sayid and Jack share a worried look. “An attack, Michael,” Sayid says solemnly. “We have killed three of Them. We should be ready in case of an attack.”

Michael looks away worriedly, glancing over to where Cindy and Walt were sitting to find the area vacated. “Walt?” he calls worriedly, hurrying over to where they had been. “Walt? Cindy?” Voice rising slightly in panic, he calms down quickly when Cindy’s cool accent reassures him from the water area.

“It’s okay, Michael. Just getting some water.” Michael sighs as he sees them and runs a hand loosely over his head.

“O-Okay, then,” he says nervously, before turning back to Jack and Sayid. “Yeah, yeah. I think I can do something. It’ll take a while but, you know, it’s something to do. Keep me busy.”

Jack nods and smiles, thudding Michael on the back companionably. “Great. We can get Charlie and Eko to help you out; they built the church together. I’m sure they’ll be happy to help.”

“Right. Okay.” Jack and Sayid exit, leaving Michael to watch Walt and Cindy interacting thoughtfully, before joining them.

SCENE FOUR: ANA-LUCIA'S SHELTER

Ana-Lucia is seated in her shelter, carving something out of wood, when Kate strolls up with two water bottles and some chocolate bars. “Thought we’d have a snack while we plot,” she says cheerfully, and Ana smiles her appreciation and drinks some water.

“Thanks.”

They eat their chocolate in silence for a while, before Kate speaks. “Okay, so, we haven’t really gotten so far in discussing this yet, besides my motives for this, which—” Ana goes to interrupt her, but Kate just talks louder. “—aren’t really that important right now. Okay?”

Ana-Lucia sighs, rolls her eyes, but nods. “Yeah. All right. So. Discuss.”

Kate looks slightly put off by Ana’s attitude, but continues anyway. “Okay, so, there are several different ways we can approach this. Pulling a gun on him and demanding that he give up the guns to us isn’t going to work. He’ll most likely laugh in our faces and tell us to shoot him.”

Ana nods in agreement. “Oh yeah. That’s Sawyer.”

“Right. But we can do this more subtly. Between the two of us, we can come up with something genius. I was actually thinking of doing exactly what Sawyer did to originally get the guns.”

“Explain.”

“We can play him and Jack against each other. We can tell Jack we have some idea of where the guns are; we saw Sawyer hanging around there, but we aren’t sure. Jack can go and try and find them, in some random area, while we pretend to distract Sawyer. We let it slip that Jack is supposedly on to him, he moves the stash, we follow him and see where he moves it.” Kate leans back and grins, obviously proud of herself for working it out. Her grin falters as Ana-Lucia starts shaking her head.

“No,” she says firmly. “We’re not dragging Jack into this. This is between you, me and Sawyer. No one else. It’s not gonna happen.”

Kate folds her arms across her chest, eyes smouldering a bit, considering. She knows that she might be able to do this without Ana-Lucia; Jack would be easy to convince, to fool. She’d had some practice at it already. But she also knows that having Ana-Lucia as an ally would be important; people were dividing up, taking sides, and she knows that being allies with everyone can be a real asset. So she nods finally. “It can still work without Jack. You tell Sawyer that I know where the guns are, and I’m going after them; I’ll follow him to his stash.”

“And how will that work?” Ana argues. “He’s not stupid. How do you know he’ll believe that?”

Kate looks at Ana-Lucia sadly. “Because he doesn’t trust me. But I’m betting that he trusts you pretty well. I’m not blind, Ana-Lucia.”

Ana studies the other woman’s face quietly for a minute, before nodding in agreement. “Fine. Just let me know when. And if this blows up—just know that he’s not the only person that you’ll be screwing up with. And if you’re doing this for all the wrong reasons, like I think you are, well, that just makes it worse.”

SCENE FIVE: THE BEACH

”Vincent! No, Vincent! Drop it! Give it here, Boy!” Walt calls after the Labrador who he and Hurley are supposedly playing ‘fetch’ with. The dog, however, hasn’t quite grasped the idea that he’s suppose to return the stick in order for it to be thrown again…either that or he has developed a rather wicked sense of humour and is enjoying seeing the odd pain running up and down the sand after him.

“L-l-little Dude!” Hurley gasps, staggering along behind Walt. “Why couldn’t you have been a cat-person?” he queries between pants and suddenly, from a little further up the beach, laughter rings out at his comment.

Michael tries to smother his amusement behind a raised hand, but Libby and Cindy are unable to contain their giggles as the yellow lab runs rings around Hurley.

“Dude! Why am I chasing your son’s dog? You’re his dad!” Hurley accuses of Michael who raises his hands in surrender and shrugs.

“I’m working, Man,” he contends with a chuckle escaping his lips, meaning the job that Jack and Sayid had given him earlier that morning of figuring out how to create a barricade before the caves, but Hurley merely glares at him suspiciously, his eyes flickering to Cindy’s smiling face sat beside Mike.

“Yeah…I know exactly what you’re workin’ on, Dude,” he mutters as he stumbles wearily up the beach towards them and Michael replies with only an embarrassed cough as he shifts in the sand and beneath their sudden scrutiny.

“That’s it, I quit!” Hurley announces finally, flopping down beside Libby. “I don’t even really like dogs.”

Libby’s still laughing lightly and reaches out to tuck a strand of his curls behind his ear.

“But dog’s are so loyal and friendly. When I was a little girl, my sister and I had a Spaniel…” something, some unreadable emotion, passes over her face like lightning at her memory but she forces a smile and continues, shaking whatever it is away. “They’re so cute when they’re puppies.”

Hurley perks up suddenly, unaware that there was anything wrong with Libby in those few moments.

“As soon as we get off this island, I’ll buy you a hundred puppies!” he proclaims, beaming over at her and Libby knows he’s trying to please her, making her smile return properly. “Just as long as I don’t have to train them…” he adds in a grumble beneath his breath and that causes both Libby and Cindy to start laughing again.

A little way off from the merry group, Charlie sinks down into the sand beside Eko where he is sitting alone, staring out at the horizon intently.

“Mango?” Charlie asks, offering his hand of fruit to the silent priest and when he receives no reply he shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. “Suit yourself, Squire.” He chomps away at his ‘dinner’ for a long moment, following Eko’s gaze curiously before swallowing, clearing his throat and pointing out to sea. “Makes you wish for a telly, doesn’t it? Same boring thing on every bloody channel.” he says thoughtfully, trying to get Eko to crack a smile. “I mean, I can’t believe I’ve missed almost three months of Corrie! For all I know Ken Barlow could’ve eloped with Hayley ‘I use to be a man’ Cropper by now!”

Eko only continues his steady stare.

“Not a Coronation Street fan then?” Charlie leans forwards, trying to catch Eko’s eyes. “No, I bet you’re more of an Eastenders bloke, right?”

Silence still meets his question.

“No? Wait! I’ve got it! You’re a Hollyoaks man, that’s it!”

The sea crashes but not a word passes the priests lips and Charlie draws in a deep, steadying breath through his nose.

“Joking aside though, I bet you didn’t actually get to watch too much TV back home, did ya?” he takes another bite of mango, continuing to chatter around his mouthful. “Priests aren’t really into that stuff, right? It’s, like, written in the Bible or something, innit? ‘Thou shalt not watch TV or thou shalt get square eyes!’ One of the ten Commandments that.” Again Eko shows no reaction whatsoever and Charlie chews again before tossing the remainder away from him when he’s eaten his fill, wiping his sticky hands on the legs of his jeans.

“Alright,” he sighs, pushing himself to his feet when he catches sight of Claire paddling at the waters edge, rocking Aaron in her arms gently. “You’ve talked me out. Can’t get a bloody word in edgeways with you! See you after.”

And again, as the many times before, Eko merely sits stoic and soundless as Charlie strolls away.

SCENE SIX: FLASHBACK TO JOSH'S APARTMENT


The first thing that she noted as she slitted her eyes open against the light that was streaming down into her face was that her skull felt like it was ready to explode.

What exactly had she drunk last night? And how much?!

The second thing she noted was that the cracks in her bedroom ceiling had disappeared. No, that wasn't her ceiling at all.

she sat up abruptly, wincing as her head throbbed more ferociously and the strange room began to spin, making her feel sick.

It wasn't until severla moments of fighting off the desire to throw up and blinking blearily around had passed that she noticed the cheap golden band that had taken up residence on her wedding ring finger and the warm snoring body that lay sprawled out beneath the blankets beside her, his arm slung possessively across her middle.

Again she found herself wondering how much exactly she had drunk last night. Sure, she'd taken Kirsten's advice and leaped at the chance to go out with Whatshisname...but she couldn't have been so drunk that she'd married him...could she?

But, amidst the shock Kate knew deep down in her heart that the answer was 'yes' if she was truthful with herself and even as she admitted it silently, the fragmented memories came rushing back to her from the night before, confirming it all anyway.

A movie.

Dinner.

A drink...or seven.

The park.

The proposal.

The registry office...

Josh! His name was Josh!

She sighed deeply, running a shaky hand through her bedraggled hair and lay back down to stop the room from spinning again. Turning onto her side she propped her head up onto her hand and peered down into the face of her husband.

What was her dad going to say? she hoped desperately that he'd just be glad that she wasn't living under the same roof as Wayne anymore but a sickly feeling in her gut that wasn't due to her hangover told her that he'd likely be mad...and more than a little disappointed with her rash choice.

Josh shifted in his sleep beside her, lying on his front. His mouth was agape and slack-jawed and pressed into his pillow. He snored thunderously but Kate brushed it off hopefully as just the alcohol from the previous night.

He'd been so sweet to her the night before. No one had ever made her feel that way besides Tom but she shook her head, clearing it of thoughts of her childhood sweetheart and focused upon the future. Her future. With Josh and she smiled tentatively. Trying to reassure herself. She could make this work. She would make this work. He was her ticket to freedom. Yeah. She'd be okay.

Swiftly, so that the doubts and worries couldn't fight their way back into the forefront of her mind, she slipped from beneath the covers, locating her jeans and shirt and tugging them on silently, making sure that she wasn't disturbing Josh.

She scouted for a scrap of paper and a pen and hastily scrawled him a note before she left.

Dear Josh,

So, I guess we're married, huh? Don't worry, I've not had second thoughts and run away from you. I'm not the running type. Just gone to pick up some of my things from home and to drop the bombshell on my folks.

I won't be long. Promise.

She thought about signing the note with 'love' but it somehow didn't feel comfortable. So she opted for the more reserved and less formal 'see you soon' and her name, leaving the tiny piece of paper on the pillow beside the heavily sleeping man.

**********

"Where were you last night?"

The voice, cracked and dry from 40 cigarettes a day and a night of no sleep, crept out into the early morning air, accompanied by a corl of smoke from pursed lips.

Kate dismounted her motorbike, kicking the stand into place with a booted heel and avoided her mother's eyes that glared at her from where she sat on their front porch.

"Out." Kate responded finally, striding towards the house amd mounting the porch steps but her mother was faster, swooping from her chair to stand on the top step, blocking Kate's route into the house.

"Katherine..." her voice was half warning and half desperate. A shaky hand placed the cigarette back to her lips for a hasty drag of much needed smoke, as if she could draw strength from the nicotine and poison that filled her veins with every puff. "You didn't go to work this morning. You didn't come home last night. you didn't even say goodbye after your shift yesterday like you usually do." her mom paused, blowing blue-grey smoke out into the tense air between them, curling a greying, straw blonde lock behind her ear before wrapping her arms about herself. "What's going on?"

"I got married, mom!" Kate stated finally and impatiently, her green eyes glaring up to meet the older woman's who suddenly looked as if her daughter had slapped her across the face.

"What? Why?" her mother demanded, frown darkening her brow. "Why would you do something that stupid, Katherine?!"

"Because I'm sick of working in a dead-end job like you. I'm sick of having to live in the same house as that low-life son-of-a-bitch in there! I'm sick of having to watch the way he treats you. Like a servant, like a dog! And I'm sick to death of watching you take it!" her nostrils flared, voice having risen in volume until she shouted her words out and her mom's mouth opened, drawing in breath to respond to her daughter's accusations.

But they were interrupted, however, by the front door to the house slamming open, the dull thudding of heavy boots swaggered out to meet them, tearing their heated glares apart.

"W-what the hells this damn ruckus?" Wayne slurred, his voice deep and gruff and angry. He scrubbed a knuckle at a bloodshot, heavily lidded eye before taking another swig on the bottle of Jack Daniels that seemed forever glued into his clammy grip.

Kate's scowl flickered back to her mother and she tilted her head, arching an eyebrow in bitter triumph, her point proven.

"I said what the hellsgoin' on?!" Wayne roared louder, stumbling over his own feet as he moved out onto the porch. "Answer me, Woman, or I swear to God I'll-"

"Nothing!" Kate snapped viciously in response, brushing past both her silent mom and Wayne's swaying bulk. "I've just come to get my things. I'm moving out."

SCENE SEVEN: SAWYER'S SHELTER

Ana-Lucia casually walks up to Sawyer’s shelter, where he’s reading with his geek!glasses on. She says, “So, guess what your girlfriend’s up to?”

Sawyer grins and looks up at her. “I don’t know. How about she tells me?”

Ana-Lucia laughs. “I’m not your girlfriend, Sawyer.”

“Matter of opinion.”

“I was talking about Kate.”

“And you’re calling her my girlfriend? Wow, Rambina, thought you had brains.”

“Cut the crap, cowboy. I’m doing you a favor here.”

“Oh really? What kind of favor?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t bother.” She goes to walk away, turning her back to him. He can’t see her smile when he calls her back.

“What is it, Lu-Lu?”

“She’s onto you,” Ana says without missing a beat.

“Onto me what?”

“She knows where your stash is. Knows where the guns are.” Ana-Lucia smirks down at the sand. “I wouldn’t put it past her to go running to the good doctor with those guns right now.”

Something flickers across Sawyer’s face, but Ana can’t read it. Finally, Sawyer’s face contorts into anger. “And why the hell are you telling me what little Pippi Longstocking’s doing? Why not let her run to Jacko?”

“Because ‘Jacko’ wouldn’t know what the hell he’s doing with those guns,” Ana retorts, answer ready. “To be honest, they’re safer with you.”

The same unreadable expression flickers over his face, but again it is brushed aside by a mix of anger and smugness. “Well, thank you, officer. I appreciate the heads up.”

“You’re welcome,” Ana spits ungraciously, before stalking off towards the trees. Spotting Kate nearby and making sure Sawyer can’t see them, they watch as he leaves his shelter and starts walking away.

“Good,” says Kate. “He bought it.”

“Don’t screw this up,” Ana says. “Don’t let him see you.”

“I won’t. Trust me.” And with that, Kate stealthily makes her way through the trees, keeping out of sight while going in the direction that Sawyer had gone. Ana sighs, watching her go, fighting off the horrible feeling of dread in her stomach.

END ACT I.

ACT II

SCENE ONE: OUTSIDE SUN AND JIN'S SHELTER

Jin is cooking fish for Sun and Claire as they sit and talk with Aaron sitting between them. “I asked Jack if he should be starting to crawl right now,” Claire is saying, watching as Aaron wobbles in his sitting position. “He says that that shouldn’t start until he’s about six months. But can you imagine having him crawl all around the camp, getting into trouble everywhere? I’ve already gotta keep him from shoving sand in his mouth every chance he gets.”

“We’ll just have to watch him more,” says Charlie as he enters to say hello. Claire smiles up at him.

“Hello, Charlie,” she says happily. Sun watches her happy face and then turns to Jin, watching him get the food ready and catching his eye for a quick smile.

“Hi, Charlie, how are you?” Sun says sweetly, and Jin quickly gestures for him to join them, pointing at the food.

“D—dinner,” he stutters in his broken English, and Sun’s heart swells in pride. “Sit.”

Charlie, who had up until then been engrossed in Aaron, suddenly looks at Sun and Jin as though finally seeing them for the first time. His eyes go wide and he stumbles back slightly. “Oh—oh, no thanks, really. Just, um, coming over to say hello. Thank you!” Sun watches as he fidgets nervously, and she wonders what all that is about. “I—I have to go, actually—Michael asked me to help him with something. Just wanted to say hi. Nice seeing you guys—bye!” And what that, Charlie hurries away, leaving Claire looking hurt and confused.

Sun pats her on the arm kindly. “He’s an odd one, isn’t he?”

Claire tries to smile a little. “Oh yes. Odd.”

Jin snickers slightly and pats Aaron on the head. “Odd.”

SCENE TWO: THE JUNGLE

Kate moves slowly through the trees, careful not to make a sound. About a yard ahead of her, Sawyer has now cut into the trees, making his way swiftly to his destination. Kate concentrates on keeping him in sight.

Up ahead, Sawyer stops for a minute, looking around, and Kate freezes and tries to hide as quietly as possible behind a tree. Poking her head out slightly, she sees him shake his head and start walking again. She breathes a sigh of relief, allows him a few seconds head start, and starts walking herself.

Kate doesn’t look where she’s going; she concentrates hard on not being seen or heard. She barely notices her ankle hitting the wire, but the next thing she knows, she’s being swept up into another net. Trying to keep from crying out, she dangles there, alone in the jungle, praying Sawyer hadn’t heard her and almost wishing he had.

“Dammit. Not again.”


SCENE THREE: FLSAHBACK TO JOSH'S APARTMENT

”I got your note…” Josh announced as he held the front door to his house open for her.

It was a ramshackle place now that she could see it in the light, not unlike her mom’s and Wayne’s house, but she didn’t care. She was out of that hellhole now. She didn’t have to live under the same roof as that man any longer.

She ducked beneath Josh’s arm that was holding the door open, a black duffel bag of her meagre few belongings tucked beneath her arm.

“Yeah,” she smiled, a little nervous suddenly. “I just thought I’d go get some of my stuff…Y’know, just essentials.” She laughed a little, in an attempt to break the icy awkwardness that was growing between them now that she and Josh were face-to-face and sober.

He shrugged nonchalantly at her explanation, dropping his hold on the door and letting it bang back into the frame carelessly.

“To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t hightail it when you had the chance.” He growled, voice still thick from sleep. She gathered that she must’ve woken him up when she’d knocked on the door to be let back in. He probably hadn’t even known she’d been gone. He probably had only just read her letter moments before he’d come down to greet her.

“Why would I leave?” she queried, puzzled, placing her bag on the kitchen table and unzipping it, glancing in at her things rather than meeting Josh’s bleary-eyed watch. “I mean, we’re married now. We have obligations.”

He snorted at her words, reaching into one of the cabinets beneath the sink and snagging a bottle of whiskey that was stashed there and Kate felt the sickly feeling return to her stomach tenfold, coiling it’s way up into her chest.

“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly, a frown tugging her eyebrows down and Josh ignored her, unscrewing the bottle cap and splashing a rather large measure for himself into a grubby looking glass from the sink.

“Havin’ a drink, what’s it look like?”

No. No, this wasn’t happening. It couldn’t. It wasn’t meant to be this way. Things were supposed to get better, not worse!

“Jesus, Josh,” she attempted a chuckle but it fell flat. “I’ve heard of ‘hair of the dog that bit you’ and all, but it’s nine o’clock in the morning.”

He shrugged, swigging it down defiantly before pouring himself an equally as generous second helping.

“Don’t you think it’s a little early for-”

“Stop naggin’ me!” he snarled, glaring back over his shoulder at her. “You sound like my damn ex-wife.”

That made the breath catch in her throat painfully. Had she really been this stupid? So naïve to think that marrying a stranger would solve all her problems?

“I’m trying to sound like your concerned new wife.” Kate ventured, swallowing her doubts yet again but they remains hard and tight in her chest.

She left her bag where it was and moved across the kitchen to where Josh stood, reaching out for the bottle of alcohol in his white knuckled grasp.

“You shouldn’t get use to this stuff.” She stated, tugging at it, trying to ease it from his hand but he refused to relinquish his hold. “You don’t want to end up with a drink problem like my step-father-”

She pulled again harder and again he refused to comply, stepping back and away from her at the same moment. His fingers slipped from the bottle neck, his reactions sluggish from the whiskey buzzing about his body and it plummeted to the floor, smashing and shattering sending glass and the amber liquid splashing out around their feet.

“Look what you made me do!” he bellowed, drawing himself to his full height and turning to face her squarely and in that moment, as he raised his hand to strike her, she saw Wayne’s hate-filled black eyes glaring down at her. She smelt the alcohol-drenched breath burning her face. She felt how her mother felt. Trapped.

“Hit me!” she spat through clenched teeth and fury alike. It was what she deserved for being so blind and foolish. She raised her chin and set her jaw, stepping closer to him in anticipation of the blow. “If you’re going to hit me then do it! Hit me! Go ahead!”

He looked about to do it too but after a moment his hand wavered in the air and he whirled away from her with a sneer, snagging his leather jacket from the back of the kitchen chair and leaving the house, door slamming in his thunderous wake.

Only when she heard the car tires screech outside on the dusty driveway did Kate feel the adrenaline leave her body. Then the fear came, of what had almost happened, what could have happened to her, making her limbs shake, unable to support her weight.

She staggered to the chair and sank down onto it, head in hands. Elbows resting on her knees. She forced herself to take a shuddering breath that she’d not realised she’d been holding in and then the tears came. Stinging the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision until she was blind save for the growing brightness of the morning light as it filled the empty kitchen.


SCENE FOUR: THE JUNGLE

Kate is still in the net, trying desperately to rip it apart with her hands. She’s not getting anywhere, and she’s getting increasingly frustrated, realizing that she’s probably lost Sawyer already. Suddenly, a voice makes her stop her struggle, and she looks down at the speaker.

“You know, you’re damn lucky I followed you, or you would’ve blown this whole thing.” Ana-Lucia smirks up at Kate.

Kate glares at her playfully. “Shut up and cut me down. We’re gonna lose him.”

Still smirking, Ana pulls a knife out and quickly climbs the tree in which the net is attached. Kate lets out a slight squeal as she drops to the ground, and Ana-Lucia quickly helps her out of the net. “I don’t even want to know how you managed this,” Ana says.

“You know, you’re sounding more and more like Sawyer every day,” Kate snaps, rubbing her back and standing up. “Now come on, and be quiet. He’ll hear us.” Trying to keep herself from snickering, Ana follows Kate through the trees.

They only have to walk a few more feet before they come to a clearing; on the far side of it, a hole is dug into the ground, and a few miscellaneous objects litter the ground around it. Ana-Lucia feels herself take a sharp breath; is this the remnants of Sawyer’s stash? Are they too late?

“Wait a minute...” Kate says thoughtfully. “I think this is where his old stash used to be.”

“Well, ain’t you a smart one, Freckles?” comes Sawyer’s drawl, and the girls turn around to see him leaning on a tree to the side, arms folded across his chest, a smug grin on his face.

Ana-Lucia realizes then that it’s over; the con is up. Kate, however, won’t give up.

“Told you I knew where the guns were, Ana,” she says loudly. “Too bad he’s moved them.” She quickly tilts her head to the side and smiles challengingly at Sawyer. “Maybe he wants to be nice and tell us where.”

Ana has to stop herself from laughing; Sawyer does it for her. “Do you really think I’m as stupid as you, Freckles?” Sawyer asks wondrously. “No, really.”

Kate tries a different approach. “Give us the guns, Sawyer.”

“How ‘bout no?”

Ana sighs. “Just forget it, Kate. It’s over.”

“No. It’s not over. Give us the guns, now!” And suddenly, Kate reaches behind Ana and attempts to grab her gun. Without a second thought, Ana-Lucia grabs her wrist with lightning speed and wrenches it away from the gun. Staring disgustedly at Kate, she pulls the gun out and holds it tensely.

“Don’t do that. Ever.” Her cold dark eyes glare into Kate’s determined ones, staring her down, forcing her to move off. Kate thinks about it for a minute, before huffing and hurrying away.

Ana-Lucia puts her gun away and looks at Sawyer. “So. You knew the whole time, then, huh? Led her out here for no good reason other than your entertainment?”

Sawyer nods and smiles. “Lu-Lu, I know where my guns are. And I know that neither you nor Freckles or Jacko or anyone else knows. And we’re gonna keep it that way.” He starts strolling off towards the beach, before glancing back at Ana. “And for the record, I expected it from her. Not you, though. Guess it’s good to see where your loyalties lie.”

“My loyalties lie with me,” Ana says hotly.

“Yeah. Keep telling yourself that,” Sawyer drawls back, and then he’s gone, disappearing into the trees, leaving Ana alone with her thoughts.

SCENE FIVE: THE HATCH

Jack sits at the table, eating a granola bar and watching Locke, who sits at the computer, just staring at it angrily. He chews his bar thoughtfully, thinking about what he was considering doing, then eyes the chess set that sits not far from him on the table. He swallows his mouthful and clears his throat.

“Hey, John?” he calls out.

“Yes, Jack?”

“Do you wanna play a game of chess?”

Locke seems surprised by the question, but he slowly shakes his head no. “Thank you, Jack, but I’m not in the mood.”

“Okay.”

Jack goes back to his granola bar, reading the label out of sheer boredom. Sayid silently enters the hatch.

“Jack, I spoke with Michael again; he said that Charlie will be willing to help him with the barricade at the caves. I also spoke with Cindy; she said that the Others made no mention of an impending attack on us while she was there, but that does not really mean much to us now.”

“Hey, Sayid?” Locke suddenly calls out. Sayid blinks and turns to the older man.

“Yes, John?”

“You should play chess with Jack.”

Sayid looks at Jack curiously, who shrugs and gestures to the set. “I’d like to play chess with you, Jack.”

“Okay.”

SCENE SIX: FLASHBACK TO KATE'S FAMILY HOME

42 hours.

The words would be burned into her memory forever. A sneering, bitter reminder of her mistakes.

The night air was cooling on her flashed cheeks. Hair streamed out behind her as she gunned her bike and sped down the dark road home, all the while memories of the day flashing through her aching head.

The judge reading the law of an annulment.

42 hours. The length of their marriage.

The derisive snort of the judge as he had looked down at both her and Josh over the rims of his glasses.

The sound of the hammer as it crashed down onto the bench, signalling an end to the nightmare…

…Except that wasn’t the end. Not by a long shot.

She slowed her speed as she neared her mom’s house, seeing the lights winking at her from the windows. She took her time pulling up in the driveway and parking, loathed to make her way up those veranda steps where she had slandered her mother ruthlessly only that morning.

The wooden steps creaked beneath her feet as she slunk up them, pressing her forehead to the door when she reached it, gathering her breath and courage for what she was about to do.

The door creaked, mercilessly, announcing her return.

“Well, lookit!” Wayne’s drunken roar of laughter greeted her as she slipped into the house and closed the door again quietly. “Lookit what the cat dragged in!” he sneered derisively from where he sat at the kitchen table. A cigarette burning down in one hand. Jack Daniels gripped firmly in the other. “Didn’t I tell you she’d come crawlin’ back like a dog, tail ‘tween her legs?!” he hooted at Kate’s mom who stood at the sink at the other end of the room, elbow deep in dirty dishes obviously from Wayne’s evening meal. She kept her eyes focused upon her task as her husband continued to crow and gloat. “I just didn’t reckon on it bein’ so soon. Did the princess find out what the real world’s like?” he guffawed at the ceiling and Kate merely grit her teeth, stalking through the kitchen to her old room at the back of the house.

She’d only been gone one night and yet it felt as if she’d been away a lifetime. She felt older, wearier and yet in the same moment she felt as lost as a child who’d run away from her parents and was unable to find them again.

She let her backpack slip down to the floor and sank onto her bed, lying back so she could look up at those familiar cracks in her ceiling. And the sight of them comforted her somewhat, allowing her to close her eyes.

“Annie wants you back in the diner tomorrow.” Her mom’s voice murmured into the quiet air. She’d not even heard her come into the room and close the door, but she had. “You’ll be working this weekend to make up for the time you missed today. I told her you were sick.”

Kate drew in a deep breath but didn’t open her eyes, even as she felt the bed dip beside her as her mother sat down.

“Katie…” a hand laid gently on her arm but Kate sat up, pulling away with a jerk and turning her back on her mom’s sympathetic gaze.

“I don’t want your pity or-or sympathy, Mom,” she stated irately. “I’m not ashamed of what I did. I saw a potential way out and I took it.” She turned suddenly, raising her eyebrows questioningly. “Can you honestly blame me for wanting a better life than the one you are living?” she demanded and her mother’s eyes shone brightly with hurt before they hardened and she stood up from the bed, drawing away from her daughter as if she had been stung.

“You can’t escape it, Katherine,” she whispered, her voice shaking with either anger or upset or perhaps both. “The women in our family are weak…it’s in our blood. We can’t stand up for ourselves and sooner or later you’re gonna end up just like me.”


SCENE SEVEN: THE BEACH

Ana-Lucia sits on the sand by herself when Kate strolls up again, once again holding two chocolate bars in her hand. She hands them both to Ana.

“Peace offering,” she says timidly, and waits for Ana to accept them stonily before sitting down beside her.

“I’m sorry about before,” she says seriously. “I just—a part just didn’t want him to win. I got desperate.”

“And that’s where your motives for this came into play,” says Ana. “You’ve been kidding yourself if you really think you did this whole thing just for the good of the camp. I just can’t figure it out who it was for. Was it for Jack? Or was it to get back at Sawyer? Either way, it’s still pathetic.”

Kate keeps herself from flinching at the harsh words. “I’d—I’d like to think I did it for me.” Off Ana’s questioning look, she sighs solemnly. “I shouldn’t need them. I shouldn’t need to take orders from them, either one of them. I wanted to have these guns for me. I just liked the idea of having something that they didn’t.”

Ana smiles sympathetically. “You don’t need to steal guns to have something that they don’t. Hey, if you’re talking like this, I’d say you’ve already got it.”

Kate thinks about this for a minute, before nodding and smiling back at Ana. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” They sit there quietly for a minute.

“So, any ideas on how to get the guns now? We still need them, no matter what my reasoning is.” Kate says it only half-seriously, the corners of her mouth still turned up in a smile.

Ana eyes Charlie, who sits a few feet away, strumming on his guitar. “Yeah. I’ve got a few.”

SCENE EIGHT: THE BEACH/ SAWYER'S SHELTER

Sawyer watches Ana-Lucia and Kate sitting together on the sand, chuckling slightly to himself as he looks down at the small flap of wreckage that hides his real stash. He thinks about the irony of the women’s plot; there they were, trying to con him out of the stash that he was sitting on. He rolls his eyes. “Women.”

On the beach, Eko still sits in his position on the sand, staring out at the water as night falls around them. Libby and Hurley make their way slowly over to him, Hurley whispering in Libby’s ear. “So, uh, do we say anything?”

Libby shakes her head, smiling, and sits beside Eko silently, motioning for Hurley to join her on her other side. They don’t say anything, not even as Bernard and Rose make their way over and join them, followed by Jin, Claire, Aaron and Sun. Charlie leaves his guitar and uncomfortably places himself next to Sun, trying to keep his stomach from heaving with guilt as she pats him on the arm companionably. Ana-Lucia and Kate make their way over, and Michael, Cindy and Walt soon join. All of them sit in comfortable silence with one another, none of them prodding Eko to talk, but letting him know in their own ways that they are there to listen.

In spite of himself, Eko smiles.

END ACT II.

END EPISODE.

LOST.
Lost Virtual Season 3: Episode five, Destitute Illusion full credits:

Writers: Scouse, midnight riot, and so-jealous.


Executive Producers:
midnight riot
Aimz
Scouse
ConfidenceMan
nycjoc
Skayla
InMemorium
FloatingOnACloud

Associative Producers:
Dark Huntress
Iorwen
Hoba
radioxlovesongs

Brought to you by Leigh and mru-forum.com. Thank you, Leigh, for all your help and support through this. It wouldn't have been possible without you. And special thanks to all the board members who have been just as excited about this project as we are. You guys totally motivated us.

Disclaimer: None of the writers or producers have made any money on this project. It was purely for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.

That was awesome. Seriously.

I love that you got Kate spot on....not horrid but rather senseless and having Ana be the more mature and intelligent one, which is how it was and should have continued to be. Their interactions were 100% in characterization with the show. Bravo!

The flashback stuff, even though I despise Kate, was a very clever and deep way of explaining her marriage. That was really greatly done I must say.

Loved the sweet little ending, and I can't wait to see what Ana has up her sleeve....er....tee. :D

Again, BRAVO!

L

that was great! loved the Sana it was Hilarious. nt normally a fan of kate but that was awesome.

Really liked how Ana Lucia stays independant. cant wait for the next episode!

woohoo...what a pleasant surprise!

eppy 5 up early....and what a great episode it was guys!

all the character's were indeed "spot on" and in character.

the storyline is moving right along and getting thicker and thicker!

well done!

ll

omg that was really good...

even though i don't like kate at all this was awsome

and the sana was just...wow :D

keep up the amazing job ;)

i'm SO loving this!!!!! Sana all the way !

Woah. The flashbacks :bow: The Sana :wub:
And the Hurley/Vincent and Jin/Aaron scenes were too cute :D :wub:

Pippi Longstocking...*yay* she is swedish..(Pippi Långstrump) :P....

it was really good guys..love it...keep it up

How coolio manolio

that was exactly the sawyer ana and
the team uip of ana kate

you know you could have added her breaking a wrist or summit

Wow! Thankies everyone for reading and leaving such lovely comments! :) I have to say, as much as I hate Kate, I really, REALLY enjoyed writing her (especially the flashbacks) Bizarre, no? ;) I'm so glad people got past their Kate-Hate and enjoyed this.

(Pssst! Thankies Allie for posting everything. You're a star! I know I said that I'd stay up for the posting. I set my alarm for 2am but must've slept through it! lol!)

wow that was great
can't wait to see what happens :S

Ditto what Scouse said. So glad you guys liked this episode, it was sooo much fun to write. Thanks for the feedback, guys!

No problemo, Scouse. I sleep through my alarms all the time, lol. It's why I have three of them, and get all my friends to call me every morning, heh.

When I saw all the Ana and Kate togetherness I groaned but I loved it. I actually didn't want to throw up at the mention of Kate's name! So excellents my little writing fiends, just excellent! So proud of the work all of you do!

That was awesome and intriguing even on second read. Kate was human and relatable, and we have two women, vastly different, coming together without the usual petty catfighting, yet you could still feel the tension.

I cracked up at Sawyer assuming that Ana is his girlfriend so coolly. That was so brilliant and so Sawyer. Then I believed he was truly offended by Ana teaming up with Kate. Shows that he is starting to care for her a little bit. He trusted her a bit and she kind of betrayed that. :P

My favorite part was the end, when we got a hint that Ana might be on to Charlie's role in stealing the guns. Smart, observant Ana in prime form. Love it.

:clap:

Even better than the real thing, dude! Comedy, action, angst, intrigue, drama, LOST! The Kate and Ana teamwork was awesome. Thats one of the things I wish could have been touched on while AL was around. There's an interesting similarity between the two characters when you study them. Ach, oh well. Ya'll did it great, though. Excellent Kate backstory, excellent diologe, just ~ wow, you guys impress me! Keep it up, I'm totally hooked!

Oh it's my baby!
I'm so proud of you guys. it's awesome

YAY!!! :clap: :clap: